Thursday, April 19, 2018

VOTB, episodes 101, 102 and a little of 103 and 105

I felt like I was going to be transported somewhere as I rode the elevator at the Douglas Autograph hotel inside of the Parc Marriott hotel in Yaletown. (I had to use a free room that was given to me before it expired.)
It is nestled between B.C. Place stadium and the north end of the Cambie bridge.

Ha ha, I was told I had a view suite. I guess I do.

The outside of the Parc Marriott

This was a good opportunity to meet up with my brother Skip and Junior. We had dinner at the Yaletown Brewing Company, pizza was the Sunday night special, very good.

The hotel has a brand casino within. (I probably should not be taking pictures, oh crap!) (bad dad joke)
This week we worked on four different episodes of Valley of the Boom. (apparently it all had to do with actor availability)
We started the week at Spanish Banks, west of downtown Vancouver.

The scene was a public beach restroom

No matter the weather, I love it when we film down here.

This is a new film first for me. On location in Kitsilano, we had to share our lot with the t.v. show Arrow. It was very confusing for crew and background performers, not knowing which base camp belongs to whom. (VOTB is on the right.)

Later in the week we were downtown Vancouver. The alleys always tell a story.

I had to stage on Hastings Street. It was sad to watch the goings on in this stretch of the downtown eastside.

A watered down view of the sky-train as I stood by close to one of our sets in Chinatown.

One of our sets. When you drive down Powell, you see this heritage building, but you would never know that the real story is on the inside. 
and that's the inside. This property was bought by the rock and local legend Bryan Adams. in 1989. (not the summer of 69)
The building to the left houses 4 state of the art recording studios that he owns as well.

On the outside looking out?

up on the 3rd floor, looks like a fortress, it was originally built in 1886

the sad truth: the alley behind the studio looks pristine, but our location department spent a lot of time cleaning it up from needles, trash, and you name it....

I couldn't take photos of the studios inside but I got a shot of the lobby with these old time microphones.

a short walk to lunch had many reminders of the plights of the homeless and the drug addicted on the east side

this was about 15 feet from our catering food trucks

we ended out week where?????? Netscape??? 

and the week ended with me shifting gears from my cast driving duties, and delivering the camera truck to our Monday morning set at the North Shore Studios in North Vancouver. (imagine that, using a film studio for a scene as a film studio)

wow, I saw a lot of these guys when Ritsue took me to the Itsukushima Shrine near Hiroshima last year.


At first, I was laughing at the situation, then I wanted to know, was and is she okay.

To each their own

Distracted driving  at its finest.


please, really!

why people!??

really, too dumbass, cannot be real.......

this pic makes me cringe

I'm pretty sure that combination is not legal on any road

Saturday, April 14, 2018

VOTB, continued......

The second week of filming the National Geographic special, Valley of the Boom took us to a one of the most filmed locations in all of the lower Mainland, the Crease Clinic at Riverview Hospital in Coquitlam.
A lot more ominous in the evening.
My imagination getting the best of me as I scout around the building, trying to find any evidence of all the ghost stories I have heard over the years. 
Grabbing a latte at Starbucks, I thought I said "Monty" clear enough.

The demise of Riverview

The paint on the ceiling

Looking out from on of the patient rooms

A view, if you can look past the bars

Looking out front towards our base camp

another view out front


It was very eerie walking around, even during the day

My Teamster peers waiting for the lunch bell. (Teamsters have always eaten 1/2 hour before the cast and crew)
Later in the week we were back in church, this time in South Vancouver

Also at a home.....

.........in a very lovely neighbourhood in Champlain Heights.

Jon, the head chef of Rain City Catering, getting ready to spoil us once again.

Sitting outside set in my Teamster umbrella (my cast vehicle), watching the rain come down.

Bored, standing by, close up on my steering wheel, pic.

I've been asked to bring a lot of things to set, but this is a first.

Filming a dusk shot with the cast riding around in that panel van.

grainy night shot from Spanish Banks looking towards downtown Vancouver.

The kids surprised me and came over to watch a little hockey action.

Pho was on the menu tonight.

Back in Hiroshima, Ritsue and her friends were having fun at the Hiroshima Carp baseball game.
Around the web this week.....
This one put me in a great mood.



I don't care what the thing is, not in my house!

nailed it



This one survived the ice age

and your own caption..


Good for you!

I'm dating myself, but I so remember the disappointment of wanting to rent that new release, only to find they were all gone.

yup

omg, pogs!

I remember all too well, and eventually it became completely twisted.

The amount of waste we generate these days is shameful.

really?

really again





a fool's paradise?

that song "hitchin a ride" comes to mind.